Battling disease in a molecular arms race

Monash researchers have cracked the molecular structure of perforins, a family of proteins used by the immune system to fight cancers and viruses.

Professor James Whisstock

The breakthrough, published in the international journal Science, paves the way for a new generation of perforin-based drugs that target cancerous cells.

Paradoxically, the perforin proteins that fight cancer and viruses share characteristics with lethal toxins produced by bacteria.

Head researcher Professor James Whisstock, winner of the 2006 Science Minister's Prize for Life Scientist of the Year, was stunned to discover that disease fighting perforins and toxins that cause anthrax, scarlet fever and flesh-eating diseases share a common ancestor.

"Over millions of years of evolution bacteria developed these proteins as weapons of attack. But animals have evolved these proteins for defence against that attack. It's a molecular arms race and there is still no clear winner."

Perforins can create havoc in the immune system if not properly controlled. Understanding the structure of these deadly allies means scientists can control the way they react to infectious diseases and organ transplants.

Understanding the molecular basis of these degenerative diseases is the major focus of a $6.5 million National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grant awarded to Professor Whisstock's team.

Professor Whisstock's team was awarded more than A$11 million in the 2007 round of NHMRC grants to continue work into enzymes that have a role in cardiovascular, infectious and degenerative diseases.

• Research at Monash
• Science Minister's Prize
• National Health and Medical Research Council